Steve Buscemi biography

The man the New York Post described as "a strange mix of Don Knotts, Peter Lorre and David Carradine" has also been called "The Most Important Actor in American Independent Film". About his own looks, he's said: "I have crooked teeth and a skinny face and I look like I'm on drugs. I've never
played a vampire, but I think I kind of look like that."
Looks aside, he's certainly a favorite of Hollywood's more independent-minded
directors. He's worked twice with Quentin Tarantino, three times
with Jim Jarmusch, and in five films by the Coen Brothers - not
to mention his own directorial debut, Trees Lounge.

The Brooklyn-born Buscemi hit the New York theater scene shortly after finishing high school. He studied at the Lee Strasberg Institute and, together with acting buddy Mark Boone Jr., created a series of performance art pieces for off-off-off-Broadway stages. He also briefly tried being a stand-up comedian but, he said, "All comics borrow from each other. In the end, I couldn't figure
out who to borrow from, so I stopped."

Buscemi first struck a chord with moviegoers as a dying AIDS victim in Bill Sherwood's Parting Glances. His career began to steadily build after that galvanizing performance, with impressive supporting roles in Jim Jarmusch's Mystery Train and Martin
Scorsese's chapter of New York Stories.

Generally cast as sleazy weasels, he took that persona to
the extreme in Quentin Tarantino's 1992 directorial debut, Reservoir Dogs. His slimy, paranoid and ultra-hyper Mr. Pink won Buscemi the year's Independent Spirit Award.

He's also made a mark on television with recurring roles in two popular series, the NBC comedy 30 Rock and the HBO drama Boardwalk Empire.

Buscemi has also turned to filmmaking, directing Sienna Miller in Interview (2007), in which he also co-stars. He also directed several episodes of the television series The Sopranos, Nurse Jackie and 30 Rock.

He has one child, Lucien, with his wife, choreographer Jo Andres. While filming Domestic Disturbance in Wilmington, North Carolina in 2001, Buscemi was stabbed in the throat, head and arm during a barroom brawl. He now has a scar on his cheek which is hidden by makeup for films.